Printer Friendly Version

PR. No. 222/2009

Date: 3/06/2009   

FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS G-8 AMBASSADORS

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi met with Ambassadors/High Commissioners of G-8 countries in Islamabad to brief them about the Swat operation and efforts being made by the Government to provide relief assistance to over 2.5 million dislocated people from Swat and adjoining areas.

The Foreign Minister said that the Democratic Government of Pakistan, after having succeeded to build a national consensus against the militants, was determined to extirpate terrorism and violent extremism.  The people of Pakistan were fully behind the Government. It was now incumbent upon the Government to meet their expectations, the Foreign Minister emphasized.

Foreign Minister Qureshi also apprised in detail of the relief work underway for the dislocated people both in the camps and off-camps.  He stressed that the people of Pakistan had once again demonstrated their national solidarity by stepping forward to help the fellow-citizens from Swat and other areas. Nevertheless, the task of providing relief, return and reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance was huge.  There was need for more assistance from the international community, especially G-8 countries, to fill the gaps.  The Foreign Minister said winning the hearts and minds was equally important to succeed against terrorism.

The G-8 envoys thanked the Foreign Minister for his very timely and lucid briefing.  They reiterated their respective countries’ full support to Pakistan in providing relief assistance to dislocated population, as well as assist in long-term development plans.

Islamabad
3 June 2009